This Day, July 9: South Sudan declares independence

On July 9, several major historical events span politics, science, and aviation, including South Sudan’s declaration of independence in 2011. According to a UPI “This Day” review, the Republic of South Sudan became Africa’s 54th nation after more than half a century of struggle and violence that left an estimated 2 million lives. The same date also recalls earlier U.S. milestones: President Zachary Taylor died of cholera in 1850 and was succeeded by Millard Fillmore, while the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868. Aviation history is included with a Pan Am Boeing 727 crash in 1982 in Kenner, Louisiana, shortly after takeoff from New Orleans, killing 154 people. In 1992, Bill Clinton chose Al Gore as his running mate. More recently, in 2022, Elena Rybakina won Wimbledon singles, becoming Kazakhstan’s first Grand Slam champion.